


Did you know you're my hero?

by TheRantingSage



Series: Unions and Reunions [1]
Category: Splatoon
Genre: Also first splatoon fic I've ever written!, Cross posted on Wattpad but I feel this site is better for stuff like this lol, Eight is poetic, Eight's job is to give Three a heart attack with SAPPINESS, F/F, First time using Ao3 go easy on me, Four is a nerd, Marina and Pearl are supportive moms, More blatant in the sequel but still kinda present, Mutual Pining, Nightmares, So it's not as polished as the sequel is, So now I'm porting it over, Some light PTSD on Eight's part, Still figuring stuff out rip, text conversations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 20:39:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19449115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRantingSage/pseuds/TheRantingSage
Summary: Agent 8 was scared of just about everything. Loud noises, sudden movements, anyone significantly bigger than her, any and all ink bombs, anything pointing a weapon at her, C.Q. Cumber, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Who could blame her really? After what she'd been through?So it's no small surprise when Agent 3 discovers that she isn't on that extensive list.





	1. A fluttering heart

Agent Eight was excited. Her heart always beat a little faster whenever she got to spend time with Three, and today was no exception.

She hadn't even left the house yet, so her glee was quite amusing to the idol pair.

"Gosh but seeing her like this is the cutest thing." Pearl said to Marina as the two of them observed from around the corner.

The younger Octoling had expressed no small amount of worry when she'd gotten to the surface about where in the world she'd be staying, and it was a quick decision of the pair's part to let her crash with them until she found something better. Of course, that had only been a month ago and Pearl and Marina had already grown quite attached to this new addition to their home. They had this motherly affection for her, though they'd be hard-pressed to actually describe it that way themselves.

Marina chuckled. "I'm glad she's not too spooked by stuff like this anymore. She used to hate going out by herself."

"I mean, she's still working on that."

"Definitely."

"But progress is progress and I'm proud of her! Three's a good influence."

Eight hadn't heard a word, she was too busy fussing over her appearance in the mirror. Cuttlefish had lent her his coat as a comfort item, and she wore it everywhere with some other shoes she bought that she thought matched, but her headgear took a bit more time to arrange. She'd saw an Inkling in the plaza wearing them and had ordered it without really knowing what that meant. Luckily Pearl and Marina had lent her money to actually buy it from Murch.

The headband itself wasn't the difficult part: that honor went to the sequins that came with it. She didn't know why, but despite her crippling anxiety she didn't feel at all self-conscious with the glittery things under her eyes. She felt almost confident, enough to almost ignore the attention the high-grade and stand-outy gear got her at times.

Once she had finished affixing the final sequin to her face, she looked herself over. She felt like blue ink today; cotton candy blue, to be specific. After a few turf war matches, she'd settled on a favorite color pretty fast.

She twirled a bit in the mirror, looking herself up and down once last time, before dissolving into a small giggle fit. Gosh if she wasn't excited!

Her giggling made Pearl and Marina laugh in turn, which finally managed to catch 8's attention. She blushed a little. "H-have you two been w-watching this whole time?"

Marina held a hand over her lip. "Sorry, we couldn't help it! It's just nice to see you so happy is all!"

The light blue Octoling blushed a bit more, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. "G-guys..."

Pearl snickered. "Should we lend you some money? What do you two plan on doing, anyway?"

The agent shook her head, brushing away the bashful feeling with another smile. "Y-you don't need to do that, I've been trying to earn my own money, s-so I don't impose more than I already am..."

The sole Inkling in the room scoffed. "You aren't imposing, Eight."

"B-but you've done so much for me and-"

The other got a fierce look in her eye. "And we're gonna continue to do so where we can because we love and support you! Get with the program!!"

The little Octoling looked touched, and also like she going to cry. "P-Pearl..."

Marina smiled softly, entering the room properly and putting her hands on Eight's shoulders. "I know you don't want to feel like a burden, Eight, but you don't need to worry! We just want you to have fun on your date!"

The blush on the smaller one's face came back in full force. She put her hands up defensively. "I-i-it's not a date, Marina! Gosh, I'd be way too embarrassed if it was, Three is way too cool for me."

Pearl scoffed again. "Whaaaaat, you're definitely cool, kid! You're the coolest!"

Eight scratched her cheek. "It's nice that you think so, b-but it's still not a d-date." She blushed a bit brighter at the word. "We're just gonna go h-hang out, maybe get some soda or something."

The Inkling grinned a sly grin. "C'mon kid, we're gonna get you to admit it one of these days. You know you've got a thing for her~"

Eight covered her face. "Y-you know, I think I'll leave early! I d-don't want her to worry about me!" She yelped as she rushed out the door, nearly tripping as she did so.

Marina sighed. "Come on Pearlie, she left so fast I didn't even get to give her the spare cash."

She scratched her cheek in slight embarrassment. "Haha, oops, sorry."

"You're going to splat her one day with all your teasing, you know."

"Oh come on I know you ship it too."

The Octoling laughed. "You can't prove anything, Pearlie!"


	2. Out for drinks

Despite all the progress she'd made recently, Eight still didn't quite like being out in the hustle and bustle of the square. She had to fight the urge to turn into an octopus every time someone yelled even a little bit too loud, or entered her peripherals too suddenly. It was a little embarrassing, but luckily no one she knew seemed to judge her for it. She had every reason to be jumpy after what she'd been through.

Her eyes scanned over the light crowd, desperate to find Three as soon as possible. As much as she admires the other agent, she mostly just didn't like being alone for too long. Just one item on the endless list of things that made her nervous.

She eventually caught sight of her, wearing her causal clothes. A yellow T-shirt, standard-looking shoes, but still those weird agent headphone things. Then there was that scar, of course, but Eight had an easy time picking the other out of a crowd regardless.

She waved a hand excitedly. "Three!! Hi Three!!" She yelled over the crowd, managing to catch the other agent's attention.

She waved back, an almost nervous look on her face that quickly disappeared as the other ran over. Eight didn't notice it.

Three gave a soft smile. "Well you're early. Didn't feel like waiting?"

She blushed a little. "I got a little excited. It's been a while since I've gotten to see you. You're always out on patrol."

The Inkling laughed quietly, gazing out at the horizon. "Well, Inkopolis isn't going to protect itself."

Eight grasped the other's hands in her own, beaming brightly. "Well I hope it can today at least!"

Three blushed a little. "Me too, Eight. Where'd you want to go again? My treat."

She shook her head aggressively. "Noooo I've been saving up! You always treat me, it's my turn!"

The Inkling laughed. "Aww, really? I thought you hated Turf War."

"I don't hate it, it j-just intimidates me, that's all." She replied with a pout. "But I don't like spending Pearl and Marina's money, so I've been saving up a little for the occasion."

The warm smile returned. "You're too nice for your own good. Still letting you pick the place, though."

"Heehee, ok!"

~~~

The two sat at a table underneath a pavilion, observing passerby as they sipped their drinks. Eight had had a bit of trouble actually talking to the cashier, which Three had anticipated and swept in to help. It was embarrassing for the Octoling initially, but she eventually just pushed the feeling aside in favor of admiration for her friend's act of kindness. She has plenty room for admiration to spare.

"How's life been treating you since I've been gone?" Three inquired, pushing around ice with her straw.

Eight gave a nervous grin. "Uh, I've been doing fine! Tr-trying to branch out a little. Leave my comfort zone a bit."

Three raised an eyebrow, looking a bit impressed. "Oh really? That's good to hear. How's that going for you?"

"Honestly? I-it could be better. I tried to do that Salmon Run thing, b-but all those fish are kinda scary, s-so I didn't do all that well. I kept trying to hide, I-I think the other three were starting to get sick of it." Her ears drooped a little.

Theee shrugged. "Meh, that job isn't for everyone, don't feel too bad. I worked a shift once or twice and honestly? Some of those bosses kinda irk me too."

The Octoling let out a sigh of relief. "Man, you're so much tougher than me, Three. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who thinks they're creepy."

She gave a small smile back. "What else have you been up to?"

"I've been trying to get into turf wars a bit, but I think it'll be a while before I'm used to all the attention I get when I do it..." she rested her chin on the table, pouting a little.

"It's less scary than Salmon Run though, right?"

"Definitely, it's just...I don't know, as much as I know it's not a life or death situation, it still makes me panic when someone throws a bomb at me."

Three hesitated for a moment before placing a reassuring hand on Eight's arm. "I...can't imagine not feeling that way, after what you've been through. Don't beat yourself up too hard."

She smiled up at her, eyes warm. "You always know what to say to make me feel better." She remarks, propping her hands up to rest her chin on something less hard than the table. "Honestly aside from that I think I'm pretty good at it? That's what my teammates usually say anyway."

Three smiled proudly. "That's good to hear! Have you made any turf war friends?"

Eight gave a nervous laugh. "N-not really? I mean, I'm terrible at talking to strangers. Everyone's so much better than me, they give off this vibe of, like, 'I'd splat you if you were on the other team,' you know? I just end up running away after the battle..."

Three shrugged. "Eh, I'm not too good with strangers either. Not much for small talk."

The Octoling looked confused. "You aren't loud when you're talking to me though...?"

She rubbed the back of her head. Sometimes she forgot that the other didn't always understand verbal shorthand. "No, uh, small talk is when you talk but don't actually say anything important. Like asking someone you just met how they feel about the weather. Doesn't do much aside from kill time."

"Oh." A pause. "We must never small talk then, because I think everything you say is important."

Three blinked, blushed, and smiled. She'd have to take time off more often.


	3. Ghosts from the train

Eight woke up with a start. This was the third night in a row, and it was starting to make her hearts hurt.

She hated how persistent the nightmares were getting. It had been two months since her escape, and they hadn't lessened even a little bit. It started as only once a week, but it had slowly escalated to every two days. And now this was her third night in a row.

She wanted to cry. No, scratch that, she _was_ crying. She wiped her face with the back of her hand. She could feel herself shaking.

The Octoling grabbed her phone from her bedside table. 4:35 in the morning. She frowned; no way she was waking up Pearl or Marina over this. She already knew what they'd say if she did, and it wasn't what she was in the mood to hear at the moment. _'It makes sense you feel that way.'_ They'd probably say. _'We can talk about it in the morning if you still feel bad.'_ They'd insist. It wasn't that those were necessarily bad responses, it just always seemed stock if it wasn't coming from Three.

The Octoling's eyes widened in realization. That's right, Three! Three always knew how to make her feel better! She opened her texting app and scrolled through her incredibly small list of contacts. Pearl, Marina, Cuttlefish, there she was!

She opened the messages. The last one was from a few days ago, they'd been discussing weapons or something.

[Eight]: **hey, are you busy**  
[Eight]: **or awake for that matter**

Only after sending the first message did the Octoling remember how late it was. She scolded herself, wiping away a few more tears that had welled up in the meantime.

About five torturous minutes later, Three's response came.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Well I am now, are you ok?**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **What are you doing up this late?**

[Eight]: **i had a nightmare**

If the conversation were happening in real life, Eight probably wouldn't have been able to get through more than two words without a teary breakdown. As she shook, she thanked the stars for modern technology.

It was another minute or two before Three replied.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Oh**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Uh**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Did you want to talk about it?**

[Eight]: **maybe. im still kinda terrified**  
[Eight]: **why, am i bothering you**  
[Eight]: **cuz we can tlak later if i am**

The response was quick this time.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Definitely not! Just wasn't sure if you really wanted to talk to me specifically.**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **I'd be happy to listen if it'd make you feel better.**

Eight smiled down at her phone, mind still in petrified shambles, but heart warm. She took a deep breath, and began typing out her thoughts.

[Eight]: **i keep seeing myself down there**  
[Eight]: **surrounded by all those freaky other subway riders**  
[Eight]: **and cq cumber watching me super closely**  
[Eight]: **and i keep failing all the test over and over**  
[Eight]: **and everything just seems hopeless because im so scared**  
[Eight]: **and even when i found all the thangs i was going to die anyway**  
[Eight]: **i just keep seeing bombs and blenders and that stupid shade of blue**  
[Eight]: **and i jsur want it to stop**  
[Eight]: **i jusr wa t t to stop**

She was having trouble typing now. Her fingers were shaky and she could barely see the screen through her tears. All she could do was let out a choked sob and wait for a response.

She didn't have to wait long, luckily, as Three was quick to realize what was going on.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **This isn't just one dream, is it**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **You've been having lots of nightmares, haven't you?**

Eight shook her head before remembering that Three couldn't see her.

[Eight]: **yes**

She replied after a solid minute of shaking and crying.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **You....sound like you need a hug or something, 8. You should go wake up Marina or Pearl. They're at least there.**

Eight frowned.

[Eight]: **but I dont wa t to tajk to them i wnat to talk to you**

She cursed her twitching fingers again, burying her tear-stained face in her pillow.

It was a solid five or six minutes later before she got a reply.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **But you really sound like you need a hug and I can't give you one from all the way over here**

Eight sucked in a sniffle.

[Eight]: **i swear im ok jsut talking abot it 3**

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **No you're not! I can tell you're still crying probably!**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Turn on your location**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **I swear if I have to superjump to give you physical reassurance**

_That_ actually managed to get a tiny laugh out of Eight. She rubbed her eyes again, noting that they didn't swell with tears immediately after.

[Eight]: **well i was**  
[Eight]: **but not after that**  
[Eight]: **youre reallt good at making me feel better**  
[Eight]: **doubt pearl and marina would be too happy about you breaking and entering tho**

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Go wake them up then! Because I'm being entirely serious!**

[Eight]: **no yur not**

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Square up Octo**

Eight laughed a little harder at that. She wiped her eyes again, only to discover they really were dry this time, if a little puffy.

[Eight]: **youre my hero you know that?**

As she hit send, a warm and fuzzy feeling filled her chest. Talking with the other always made her feel that way, but this time the feeling was strong enough to actually replace the overwhelming fear that had taken hold there just minutes before.

A few minutes passed and no response, and then a few more. Eight felt her glee give way to concern.

[Eight]: **3?**

The response was almost immediate.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **I am?**

The Octoling blinked.

[Eight]: **of course**  
[Eight]: **why wouldn't you be?**

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **...**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Are you feeling better?**

Eight squinted at the clear avoidance of her question, but decided to maybe ask later. It was still pretty late, after all.

[Eight]: **yeah i am actually**  
[Eight]: **thanks to you**

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Well, I'm always here if you need me.**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **You should try to get some sleep if you can.**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Do you think you can?**

The Octoling gave a yawn, stretching her arms and getting back into a more comfortable position in the bed.

[Eight]: **yeah**

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **That's good. You rest easy now, ok?**

[Eight]: **ill try. thank you 3**

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Anytime.**

Eight put her phone back down on the nightstand, and curled into herself with a smile.

She fell asleep so quick, she didn't even notice that Three had sent one final message.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: 💛


	4. Surprise and idolize

After the text convo she'd had last night, Eight could swear she'd never slept better. And the late start from the hour-ish of lost sleep was balanced out by the _heart_ she saw in her messages when she'd woken up.

She would've woken up her older housemates with the squeal she let out if they hadn't already been awake.

Marina did eventually come in to see what the fuss was, only to be met with a gushing agent Eight who would _not_ shut her beak about how awesome agent Three was. Lucky for her, Marina had the patience of a saint and love for hearing the smaller one talk about things she liked.

In fact, the only point at which Marina felt like stopping her was when the topic of her nightmare came into the endless stream of words.

"Wait, did you say you had a nightmare last night?"

"Uh...yes?"

Marina had a sad look in her eyes. "Why didn't you wake us? We would've been glad to help."

The other Octoling looked away. "I...I didn't _want_ to wake you guys. It was like 4:00 in the morning."

A hand found its way atop Eight's, and Marina smiled down at her. "Hey now, me and Pearlie would've been glad to deliver a little post-nightmare cuddle. You wouldn't _believe_ how cuddly she is when she's sleepy."

Pearl leaned her head into the room. "Rina are you slandering my awesome reputation in there?"

Marina put her free hand to her chest. "Come on, Pearlie. You know I only make fun of you when we're on air." She chuckled back.

Eight looked down, a bit flustered. "I-I mean, as tempting as that sounds, I p-probably would've been more eager, eager if..." Her blush only grew. "...if Three was the one offering."

"Ooooohhhhhhh!" Pearl cheered.

The Octoling covered her face with her hands. "Oh gosh did I really say that out loud?? Y-you _can't_ tell her I said that!"

Marina giggled. "Ok then, it's your business, we won't make it any awkwarder."

Pearl looked like she wanted to protest, but Marina shot her a look and she shut her mouth.

"Aside from that...are you sure you're ok? Not still upset after your nightmare? Because we'd be happy to help."

Eight took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. She smiled. "I'm more than fine. Three talked me calm. That's...that's how you say that right?"

"Close enough, dear."

"Well in any case, I definitely feel better now. She's...she's really good at making me feel better." Her smile only grew, as did the blueish blush on her cheeks.

Pearl snickered in the background. "Eight, I love you, but you're hopeless."

She frowned a little. "What do you-"

The conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Pearl straightened up and went to get it. The Octoling pair couldn't see the front door from where they were, so only when they heard Pearl's greeting did they know who it was.

"Ohhhhhh, agent Three! What a pleasant surprise!"

One could almost _hear_ the smirk in her tone.

Eight's ears perked up, and she strained to listen to Three's reply.

"Hey, I'm here to see Eight. Is she up?"

"Oh yeah, totally, just gimme a second and I'll be right back. Well, don't just _stand_ there, come inside!"

Marina and Eight heard the door close, and then saw Pearl rush around the corner. She was grinning a mischievous grin.

"Hey Eight, guess who it is, it's your girlfriend!"

Eight covered her face again. "Peaaarrrrl..."

Pearl jumped to the bedside and nudged the Octoling with her elbow. "Well, what are you waiting for, go get her!!"

Marina snatched the Inkling's arm with a laugh. "Come on Pearlie, let her do it by herself!" She turned to Eight. "I'm guessing you weren't expecting the visit?"

Eight shook her head, still hiding behind her hands.

Marina smiled softly. "Take your time then, I'll tell her your not quite ready."

The other Octoling let out a grateful sigh. "Thanks..."

As the pair left the room, she looked herself over. She usually only wore a long shirt to bed, so she'd have to throw on some pj pants at least before leaving her room. She could hear ambient chatter in the background as she searched. She hoped to Cod that Pearl wasn't trying to embarrass her further.

When she did finally put on pants, she was surprised to see that agent Three was in full agent gear. The Octoling wondered in slight concern if she'd been patrolling all night after they'd finished talking.

The yellow-tinted Inkling had a serious look on her face, but then she noticed Eight and it quickly melted away. Not replaced by happiness alone, necessarily, but a hint of nervousness too.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Agent Three questioned, observing the sleep clothes the other wore.

Eight laughed. "N-no, I've been awake a little while, just haven't changed yet."

Marina and Pearl shared a look. "Well, if you need us, we'll be in the other room, minding our own business." Marina said, ushering Pearl out with her. She still had the short Inkling by the arm.

Three coughed nervously. "Soooo..."

Eight smiled back at her. "Soooo?"

"Did you...did you sleep well?"

Eight beamed. "Just great, after talking to you! Best dreams I've had in days!"

Three scratched her cheek, the side of her face that didn't have the blueish scar. "That's...that's good to hear. I was worried."

Eight sat down next to her on the couch. "What's to worry about? Talking to you _always_ makes me happy."

It was Three's turn to blush, though it was faint and hard to see with her ink colored the way it was. "I...I don't know. After all the stuff you said your nightmares were about..."

Eight didn't reply, waiting for the Inkling to continue.

She coughed. "I mean, a lot of terrible things happened to you down there. And I'm sure me trying to kill you certainly didn't make it any better."

The Octoling's eyes slowly widened in realization. "What do you mean?"

Three gave her an incredulous look. "Come on Eight, don't lie to me. I tried to kill you _twice_. You can't tell me you don't have nightmares about at least one of those times."

Eight's ears drooped. "W-well I don't really remember the first time..."

Three squinted. "I don't hear you denying the second time, Eight." She looked away. "It doesn't surprise me. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"B-but you're wrong, Three! I don't have nightmares about you!"

The Inkling didn't look like she believed her.

Eight gently put a hand to the other's face, moving it so she could look the her in the eye. "The nightmares I have with you in them...are only scary because I want to save you. N-not because you're trying to hurt me. I j-just want to help you, but I never can. You're always just out of reach, a-and blinded by that stupid goop." She shook out the pain in her eyes at recounting it aloud, turning back to Three with a smile. "You're important to me, Three. I could never be scared of you."

A fiercer and brighter yellow burned into the Inkling's cheeks. "That...I don't get it. You're scared of anything pointing a gun at you! But not me? It's...it's my fault you've got amnesia, my fault all that bad stuff happened to you, why do you like me so much?!"

Eight was taken aback by the outburst. It almost sounded as though the Inking had been beating herself up over this for quite some time. She rested a hand on top of Three's own, like Marina had to Eight before. She hoped it made her feel better. "You saved my life, Three. You...you inspired me to be strong when I was scared I couldn't do it. Three, you're my hero."

She looked away. "There you go, saying that again. You...you deserve a better hero than me."

"Don't say that, that's...that's my friend your talking about."

Three didn't reply.

Eight smiled to herself. Time to break out the big guns. "Do you want to know what I dreamed about after we said goodnight?"

The Inkling slowly turned and blinked at her.

"I'll take your silence as a yes. I...it was right before I was about to get blended, and you crashed through the ceiling and saved me. But...you didn't knock yourself unconscious, you held me in your arms and told me I'd be ok. I...felt like I could carry the world on my head, if that's the right phrase."

Three blushed profusely, but didn't say anything.

Eight continued. "You carried me though the tests, we got to the surface together, we did everything hand in hand. You...you looked into my eyes and told me you'd never leave my side, and I felt all warm and fuzzy inside." She relinquished the other's hand so she could hug herself. "Honestly, thinking about it _still_ makes me feel all warm. Do you think something's wrong with me? I mean, it's a nice feeling, but I'm not sure I quite get it."

If one listened closely, they could hear Pearl cackling in the other room.

Three was...having a hard time, to say the least. Her face was entirely yellow and she was staring straight ahead. Eventually, she managed to squeak out, "N......nothing's wrong with you, Eight."

The Octoling, oblivious to the other's breakdown, gave a relieved sigh. "Phew, that's good to hear. Honestly, I hope that hearing that makes you feel a little better. I'm not afraid of you, Three. I don't think I could ever be. You're...you're my hero."

The Inkling was quiet, her gaze still fixated on the floor. The blush hadn't left her face, but Eight couldn't see it very well from the angle she was at. That was, until, Three managed to turn to the Octoling with a smile. "Th....thank you, Eight. That...that does make me feel better." Her eyes glistened with tears.

Eight beamed. "I'm glad! Are you ok though? You're pretty yellow."

Oh. Yeah. The Inkling was still blushing. She hastily stood up, wiping her face to rid herself of the tears that had gathered. "Y-yeah, that, um, I might be coming down with something. St-stayed up too late."

Eight seemed to buy it. "Oh no! I shouldn't have texted you so late! I'm sorry, next time I'll bother Pearl or Marina..."

Three glanced in the direction the pair had left in before and managed to catch Pearl with an ink-eating grin on her face before she got yanked back by Marina. "Yeah...that's probably a good idea."

"Why'd you come here, anyway? Was that all you wanted to talk about?"

"Yeah, I just worried about you. Didn't feel like texting would get the point across this time. I should, uh, get going though. Since I might be sick."

"Oh! One quick thing before you go?"

Three was about to ask, but was cut off when the Octoling wrapped her up in a hug. She was stunned silent.

"Since you kept threatening me with breaking in to hug me. So here's the hug." She nuzzled her face into the other's chest.

Three's mind had to take a few moments to catch up with the erratic beating of her three hearts. Once she managed to do so, she returned the gesture. "Th...thanks."

Eight looked up at her, ruby eyes glittering with admiration. "No, thank _you_ for caring so much."

A dopey grin found its way onto the serious agent's face. She was lucky no else was there to see it. "N-no problem."

Marina and Pearl only reentered the room once the Inkling had really left, and one look at Pearl's face told Eight immediately that she was having a field day.

"Oh sweet shell that was hilarious and adorable and I don't think I'll be able to DEAL if you don't kiss or something." She blurted.

Eight's eyes widened and she blushed furiously, but she didn't have a chance for rebuttal before Marina cut her off with a question of her own.

"I'm more concerned with the fact that you know what a date is, but don't know what being in love feels like?"

Eight's face shifted, and cycled through a series of emotions before settling on a blank expression.

"Wait."

Her heart was still warm.


	5. A new angle

It was Eight's turn to wait for Three in the square, and she was _not_ having a good time. She assumed she must've given off some kind of energy that made everyone think she was lost, because that's what people kept coming up to her to inquire about. Most of the people who did it seemed to be doing it out of concern, but that didn't make her any less petrified of each and every interaction.

While it was mostly Inklings that approached her, there were a pair of Octolings at one point that thought she needed help. She was honestly relieved anytime she got to chat with other Octolings. She'd seen a few in turf wars from time to time, but hey were never on the same team as her.

Eventually all the attention made her nervous enough to hide somewhere until her friend showed up, and that somewhere was a secluded alleyway. She could hear the rumble of a subway train from somewhere down below, but she pushed the repressed memories that came with the sound away.

Around five or so minutes later, she got a text.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Are you here somewhere? I can't see you.**

Eight tapped away at her phone.

[Eight]: **Im in the back alley by the cafe. Too many people kept trying to talk to me, haha**

The agent looked up half a minute later to see her friend had managed to find her.

Three frowned. "Who was bothering you?"

The Octoling laughed softly and got to her feet. "N-no one was _bothering_ me, everyone just thought I looked lost, haha."

"Ok, good. Not that you looked lost, I mean. Just that no one was being rude to you."

She extended a hand, which Eight took eagerly. Three opened her mouth, probably to ask where she wanted to go, but the Octoling cut her off with a question of her own.

"You don't think I'm a coward, do you?"

Three raised an eyebrow. "Why in the world would I think that?"

She scratched her cheek with her free hand. "I don't know, I guess I just....everything makes me nervous, and I'd rather hide in a back alley than talk to strangers. I was just thinking about it and-"

"Well stop thinking it, you're not a coward."

Her ears dropped a little, more confused at the response than anything. "I'm, uh, not?"

"Definitely not. Anyone with as much trauma as you is allowed to be jumpy." She paused at her own phrasing. "That sounds a bit mean, let me rephrase that."

Eight laughed quietly. "Don't worry, I understand what you meant."

"I mean, I'm sure you do, but now I sound like I think people aren't allowed to be shy unless they're traumatized."

"I don't think that."

"Good, cuz I don't. I just meant, in your place, I'd..."

"I get it, Three. And that did make me feel better, so thank you."

The Octoling wrapped both her arms around one of Three's, a bright and happy look on her face.

The Inkling smiled back, but didn't risk looking down at the other. She really didn't want to have a heart attack out in public.

~~~

As Eight nibbled on a snack from Crusty Sean's food truck, she observed Three's body language. She'd had a talk with her maternal housemates before leaving, and wanted to test her theory.

She softly nudged the Inkling with her elbow, which quickly got her attention. She gave a big smile, and held out a bit of her food on a plastic fork. "Are you sure you aren't hungry, Three?"

Three laughed lightly. "I'm fine."

"But you're the one who bought it and-"

"Don't try to make it sound like you need to pay me back, Eight. I've been meaning to use those tickets up for a while now."

"Hmm...ok!" She hummed pleasantly in response, making a mental note as she stuck the fork in her mouth.

They sat in relative silence for a while, but the Octoling's overwhelming curiosity was beginning to get the better of her. She laid her head on the table, staring at the Inkling with big eyes.

Three didn't notice at first. She glanced back for only a moment, only to do a double take when she realized her friend was staring at her. "D-do I have something on my face?"

She smiled a bit, which was quite an amusing look with her cheek squished into the table. "Nothing you don't have normally." She replied, the same kind of wonder in her eyes that Three _really_ should've been accustomed to by now.

The Inkling blushed again, averting her gaze but not turning away.

A few moments later, Eight's smile slowly shifted to a look of concern. She lifted her head off the table. "I'm s-sorry if this is a bad question, but...does that scar bother you?"

Three blinked, the embarrassment on her face quickly turning to nausea. She looked away.

Eight looked down. "I understand. I have one too, you know."

The Inkling slowly turned back, eyes widening in horror. "....you do?"

"Y-yeah, on my back. It's kinda hard to see in the mirror, but I at least know it's there." She frowned. "I'm lucky, I guess. You have to see yours whenever you look in the mirror, but I _can't_ see mine unless I go out of my way to. But I sympathize, at least. It's not fun."

Three's hand twitched, she hesitated for a moment, until she finally held the Octoling's hand in her own. Eight looked up in surprise, blushing just a bit.

"I...thank you for confiding in me. If...if you ever feel like you need to talk about that kind of thing, I'm here, ok?"

The Octoling rested her other hand atop Three's, resulting in her hands sandwiching the Inkling's. "Can you promise me you'd do the same for me, though?"

_That_ made the Inkling pause. She gave the other a strange look.

Eight elaborated. "You always seem to act like you need to solve your problems all by yourself. It makes me sad. You always want to help _me_ feel better, I figure I should at least try to do the same for you."

Three blinked, silent for a moment before a single laugh broke through. "You know what, Eight? I'll take you up on that. If I ever need to talk to someone, you'll be my girl."

She threw her hands in the air. "Yay, I'm your girl!" She cheered, and Three blushed again.

This time, however, it _didn't_ go unnoticed by Eight. Her eyes widened and she held back a gasp. She hastily whipped out her phone and sent a text to Marina.

[Eight]: **OH NO I THINK YOU WERE RIGHT**

She didn't have time to wait for a response, as Three turned back to her with a raised brow. "Something wrong?"

She hastily stuck her phone back in her jacket pocket. She put on a smile that, lucky for her, wasn't entirely a bluff. "No, not at all! I'm just happy I get to spend time with you!"

Three gave a smile and the conversation moved on.

~~~

Marina grabbed her shoulders the moment she got home. "Are you sure?"

Eight beamed. "90%! Maybe 88% to account for the lingering doubt!"

Marina squeezed the other Octoling tight and swung her around. "This is wonderful! I'm so happy for you!"

Pearl punched her open palm. "Let's get you a girlfriend, kid."


	6. A good plan(?)

The three of them sat around the table, exchanging looks as a Squid Sister's track plays softly in the background. It was Tide Goes Out, if Eight was remembering right. On of her favorite tracks of theirs.

Pearl drummed her fingers against the table, grinning. "Ok ok, what if, stay with me here, you run at her to see if she catches you."

Marina raised a brow. "How would that prove anything?"

The Inkling smirked. "Come on, you know you'd catch me if I did that to you."

The Octoling rolled her eyes. "I mean, I would, but we're already together. This is about _their_ relationship, not ours."

"Yeah, but like, it'd be cute. And she'd have to be an idiot to pass up an opportunity to hold Eight."

The Octoling in question covered her face in embarrassment.

Marina ignored her and nodded at Pearl's statement as if it was some sage advice. "True, true. But I don't think it's a good starting point, I doubt catching Eight would get her to confess her feelings."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that was the point. Oops." The Inkling replied, tapping her fingers together thoughtfully.

"Um, what if I just ask her? I-isn't that an option?" Eight inquired softly.

Marina regarded her with kind eyes. "I'm sure it is, but you're incredibly shy, sweetheart. Are you sure you'd be able to just go up to her and ask?"

Eight thought about it, tried to imagine herself doing so, only to turn bright red and avert her gaze from the others at the table.

The older Octoling gave her a sympathetic pat on the back.

"Ok, what about a love letter then?" Pearl offered. "You're pretty poetic, aren't ya, Eight?"

Eight smiled. "Though sometimes my words come out wrong, I like to think I can write verse. Even though I need to rehearse..."

Pearl clapped her hands together proudly. "See? That there _slaps_ yo."

The Octoling laughed and scratched her cheek. "I-it's not my best, I-I kinda came up with it on the spot..."

"Either way, it's good! You're a good poet, Eight. You can _totally_ sway Three with a love poem."

Eight considered it for a moment....and then continued to blush. "I-I don't know if I'd be able to get through writing s-something, something so embarrassing." She already had a few rhymes in mind, but she was getting scared again.

Marina rubbed her back. "That's ok, Eight," she reassured, "I'm sure we can come up with another idea."

As Marina and Pearl got lost in plan after plan, Eight found herself losing focus. She didn't feel like anything they were saying really made much sense for her to do, and could only bring herself to reply with a noncommittal noise or two.

She pulled out her phone. Scrolled through her contacts...and proceeded to do something stupid.

[Eight]: **Though once in darkness I did roam**  
[Eight]: **A place you gave for hope inside**  
[Eight]: **My heart, deep within, found its home**

She sent the messages....and moments later realized the gravity of her existence. She was bright red, the color of her tentacles when she didn't have anywhere to be, and said tentacles were curling spastically in on themselves.

She wondered if she'd be missing anything if she died on the spot.

And then Three replied, and just about splat herself.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **.....? What's that, some kind of poem?**

She grabbed a particularly excited tentacles and squeezed it, making extra sure she wasn't just having a nightmare. Ow. Nope, definitely awake, this was apparently her reality now. Oh carp.

[Eight]: **yeah, uh, yeah! Is it, uh, good?**  
[Eight]: **just had inspiration hit me I guess**

She looked up from her phone to see Marina and Pearl staring at her, concerned and curious expressions respectively adorning their faces.

"Guys the next time I act on impulse I want you cut off all my tentacles." Eight informed them, eyes wide and filled with existential dread.

They looked at each other, then back to Eight. "Uh, we are definitely _not_ doing that?" Pearl replied, she and Marina wearing matching looks of confusion.

Three replied again.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Uh, yeah, I like it.**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **What's it about? I'm not very good with symbolism.**

She glanced up nervously at her guardians, who stared back at her, before swallowing her courage and replying. She was tired of having her thoughts drowned out by the sound of her own heartbeat; time to do something about it.

[Eight]: **where are you right now, out of curiosity**

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Huh? I'm in Octo Canyon, out by Cuttlefish Cabin. Four and me just switched out for patrol, so I was just taking my break before I head back to the Square. Why?**

[Eight]: **Can you do me a favor and not go anywhere**  
[Eight]: **I need to talk to you in person**

Eight very much had no idea what had come over her, only that she had a fire in her chest that would not go away.

She stood up from the table.

Marina regarded her with increasing concern. "Uh, Eight, are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Or got a sunburn? It could go either way." Pearl added.

Eight turned around and headed for the door. "Never mind all these plans, I'm j-just gonna go talk to her. She said she's in Octo Canyon. I can do this, no more beating around the bush." She clenched her fist. "I-I can, I can do this, I can do this..."

Pearl grinned, standing up from her seat as well. "Woot woot, go get her, tiger shark!" She cheered.

Marina was a tad less excited. "Are you sure you're ok? You were so nervous a moment ago."

Eight turned around slowly, taking a few deep breaths and staring at Marina with pinpricks for pupils. "Wh-what in the world gave you the impression that I'm _not_ nervous anymore?!" She yelped, shaking a little. She'd stopped moving forward now.

Marina got up and grabbed Eight's hand. "You don't...you don't _need_ to do this, you know. If you aren't ready-"

Eight took another deep breath. Then another. She managed to stop shaking after a few more. "No, I'm...I'm ok. Once I see her, I'll be fine. Seeing Three always makes me feel safe." She said the last part a bit quieter, mostly to herself.

Marina heard it anyway, but chose not to comment. "Are you sure you can do this, Eight? It's really ok if you aren't."

The other Octoling gently removes her hand from Marina's, smiling at her. "I'm ready. I promise." She turned back to the door, retracing a path in her head to the grate that lead to the canyon. She'd only ever used it the one time...

Pearl and Marina watched her leave with mixed expressions. Pearl looked eager. "Man, I hope this works out. It'd be a real shame if I had to splat an agent for breaking Eight's hearts."

Marina whipped her head around. She had a small frown on her lips, but hearing that caused a corner to turn up to form a slight smirk. "What, is she our kid now?"

Pearl blushed, turning away stubbornly. "W-well, I mean..."

Marina went over to her, smile only growing. "Awww, Pearlie!"

"L-look, she's cute, and small, and I just want to protect her and junk...th-that doesn't have to be a _mom_ thing..."

The Octoling poked her girlfriend's nose with a chuckle. "I don't know, I think it's cute."

Pearl smirked a little herself. "Pshaw! I'm not cute, I'm intimidating!"

"You keep telling yourself that, Pearlie."


	7. A delightful conversation with absolutely no stress involved

Eight power walked through the square with more purpose than she'd ever felt before. She hadn't even felt this determined down in the _metro_.

Well, perhaps that wasn't true. Or maybe it was? She'd been trying _really_ hard to not think about her time in the metro.

She could see the grate in front of her now. She glanced around to make sure no one was looking at her, and dove down into it as an octopus.

She didn't turn back immediately when she got to the other side. She looked around at the yellow ink staining the ground, puffed out her cheeks, and turned yellow herself. Only then did she assume Octoling form once more.

She looked around. Everything looked just the same as the last time she'd been there. She couldn't remember much of her time living in the domes, but the last time she'd visited the cabin wasn't too long ago. The only difference she could see was the absence of the squid sisters and...

Ah, there she was. Three had waited for her, just as she'd requested. She was staring down at her phone with furrowed brow, eyebrows knit together with concern.

Eight honestly thought she'd still be scared once she saw her, but...nope, she only felt warm. She approached Three with a smile.

"H-hey!"

Three jumped, dropping her phone. "E-Eight! You didn't reply when I texted you back, I was getting worried."

Eight stopped and pulled out her phone. Checking for a reply after telling her friend to wait had...honestly slipped her mind.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Um, sure**  
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: **Is something wrong?**

Eight gave a nervous laugh. "A-ah, sorry, I didn't realize you'd replied. N-nothing's wrong, sorry to make you worry." She sat down next to the other agent, and her smile returned.

Three blushed again, and Eight's hearts skipped a beat at the sight.

"Ok, good, uh, what's so important that you needed to talk to me in person?" She asked, scratching a cheek with her finger.

Eight slipped her hand into Three's, beaming at her with a blushing face of her own. "You don't need to look so nervous, Three. It's nothing bad!"

The Inkling turned even more yellow at the sudden contact. She looked like she could barely formulate a sentence, but managed to do so anyway. "Wh-what is it, then?"

Eight put her free hand to her chest, sighing happily. "I've been...feeling feelings lately, and I just wanted to come clean about them. I didn't realize what they were, and I feel obligated to tell you."

"Why?"

The Octoling whipped her head around, an almost hurt look in her eyes at the response. "Wh-what do you mean _why_?"

Three, somehow managing to turn even yellower, withdrew her hand from the other's and laughed with nervousness and guilt. "I-I mean I didn't m-mean for that to come out that way I'm just, uh, confused because I mean it doesn't have anything to do with me I can't imagine hahaha!" She scratched the back of her head.

Eight tilted her head to the side. "But it _does_ have to do with you, Three. Marina said so. And after a lot of thought, I agree with her."

"Wha...what did she _say_ , exactly...?" Her voice was barely a whisper now.

"That all those warm feelings I kept feeling? Yeah, apparently that's love?" She replied calmly, staring at Three in the face with a startling amount of composure. Three very much envied that composure.

"Ah." Was all she could manage in reply. Her hearts were beating way too fast to be healthy.

Eight moved on. "Honestly? I wish I'd realized sooner. I kinda feel a bit awkward about it now...all things considered, I think you figured out before I did, which is kinda embarrassing..."

Three paused at that, nodding in response but not trusting herself to answer with words.

Eight raised an eyebrow. "Do you not have anything to say? I came over here to ask if you felt the same. I'm pretty sure you do, but like, I just wanted to make sure."

The Inkling sputtered. This was all too much for her poor hearts to take. "Y-you just, just wanted to m-make sure?! Did someone tell you?!" She blurted out, then immediately slapped her hands over her mouth. Carp, she just admitted it, didn't she!

Eight blinked, then chuckled a little to herself. "Well, no, I figured out myself. It was kinda obvious once I knew what to look for. You, uh, blush a lot when you're around me." She blushed a bit herself as she said it, smiling at the other agent with adoration.

Three was still having a hard time coping with the revelations. She kept her hands over her mouth for a moment, then slowly let them fall into her lap. She looked a strange mix between sad....and relieved. "Ha...guess there's no point in hiding it, guess I was more obvious than I thought. I should've know I couldn't hide anything from you."

The Octoling beamed, wrapping her arms around the Inkling and hugging her tight. "I knew it! I'm so happy!"

Three blinked, and slowly turned her head to-wow. Eight's face was. Uh. Right there. She heated up even more than before. "You're...uh, wow, um, happy?" She spoke, voice as graceful as a train wreck.

Eight's red eyes twinkled at Three, sending a jolt down the Inkling's back. "Of course! Once Marina told me that I was in love, I was super happy! And knowing you feel the same way makes me even happier!"

Oh wow, those eyes. Three stared into them, blue into red, and felt all her hesitation and fear get _vaporized_ in an instant. She smiled shyly, which was very out of the norm for her. "What exactly did Marina tell you about romance?"

Eight removed herself from the other, and looked down at herself with slight embarrassment. "N-not much, honestly. I knew some already on my own, j-just not what actually being _in love_ felt like...why?"

Three gently took the other agent's hand in her own, delighted by the shy blush that followed. "Do you know what a kiss is?"

The Octoling's tentacles curled frantically, her face burned, and her pupils shrank. "Uh, uh, um! I m-m-might have, uh-" She gave a bashful little giggle, and settled on an answer after a short silence. "I've, uh, never, never done it myself, but, uh, I've seen Pearl and Marina..."

Three laughed lightly at that. She should've guessed. "Well, uh, would you like to find out what it's like?" She asked, surprised at herself for actually managing to say it.

Eight's eyes went even wider, and she opened her mouth to reply, only to close it again with a start. Her face was completely yellow.

Three put on her best sympathetic look, though it came off a little _smug_ as well. "Eight, I'm not going to do this without your express permission. I need you to tell me if it's ok." She informed her.

Eight pouted bashfully. "Do, do I have to?" She whispered shyly.

Three squeezed her hand. "Yes, Eight. I know you're shy, but, uh, I'd really like to kiss you, and I wouldn't feel right if I did it without permission."

Eight paused, took a deep breath, and nodded. "I...I'd like that too."

Three gave a soft, gentle smile that sent shivers up Eight's nonexistent spine. She cupped her free hand underneath the Octoling's chin, tilting her head up.

The Octoling's eyes twinkled disbelievingly, before fluttering shut as the other pulled her close.

It couldn't have been that long that they stayed there, lips tenderly pressed against one another, but it definitely felt like an eternity to the two of them. Their hearts beat as one, and it was like the rest of the world didn't exist.

When they finally moved apart, they could only stare at each other a few moments before Eight, stars in her eyes, turned into an Octopus again and slid onto the ground.

Three's eyes widened in concern. "E-Eight, are you ok?"

The Octoling was too busy flopping about to answer. Her eyes had squeezed shut, and she let out an excited squeal, though if it actually meant something in Inklish, Three had no clue.

The Inkling held a hand to her mouth, stifling a laugh. "A-are you...are you doing ok, Eight?"

Eight spun in a circle on the ground. _"Jehbwee!"_ The Octoling squeaked happily, and once again, Three wasn't sure what language it was supposed to be.

Three rubbed the back of her head, both amused and confused. "Was it, uh, that good?" It wasn't even, like, an intense kiss? Perhaps Eight was easily impressed...

In respond to the question, Eight just flopped more aggressively.

The Inkling chuckled at the sight. "Are you legit having a squid party over this?" Her blush had mostly died down now, but seeing the other so overexcited prevented it from leaving entirely.

_"Boptoh!"_ She chirped, squirming across the ground to curl her tentacles around Three's foot.

Three took a moment to decipher the word, then laughed again. "Right, right, 'octo party'. My bad." She reached down to pluck the Octopus off the ground. She held her out in front of her, smirking at the clearly still flustered expression on her face.

"You composed yet? Or do you still ha-"

She stopped, mid-sentence, when she saw a smirking face peeking out of the corner of her peripherals. She whipped her head around to see that Four, contrary to what she'd previously presumed, was _not_ out patrolling after all.

"You _neeeerrrrddddd_." Four whispered loudly, before falling over on her side into her own yellow ink, trying desperately to contain her laughter.

Three's face heated up back to its intensity from before, but for a completely different reason now. "F-Four!! You're supposed to be patrolling!!" She hissed in embarrassment.

Four pressed a hand into her ink in an attempt to steady herself, only for it to slip and send her face downwards into the ink. She hopped up again mostly unfazed, to her credit. "Well I only wanted to come back for a minute to double check with you if you really wanted me to go that far, but then all _that_ happened and, well, I couldn't just leave! It was too cute!"

Three set the Octopus in her arms down gently beside her before glaring at the other agent. "So you just hid there. Invading my privacy. Like a stalker."

"I mean, you _are_ kinda just out in broad daylight and all."

"That's...! That's not an _excuse_ , Four!"

Eight managed to take a deep breath, steady her hearts, and turn back. She sat there, legs crossed, smiling brightly at the other pair of agents. "Uh, hi! I don't think I've met you before!"

Four leaned to the side to get a better look at the Octoling, and grinned like a maniac after staring for a few seconds. "Woah, Three wasn't kidding when she said that you-"

Three glared daggers at her.

"-that you were, uh, an Octoling!" She finished with a nervous cough. "I've never actually met one that wasn't trying to kill me! Hi!"

Eight made a nervous noise of her own and extended a hand. "Well, uh, I'm Eight! Nice to meet you, Four."

Four grabbed the offered appendage with both hands and shook it firmly. "It's cool to finally meet you, Eight!"

Three cleared her throat. "It's still your turn to patrol, you know."

Four turned her head slowly, grinning mischievously at the other agent. "What, you two gonna make out again when I leave?"

Eight turned bright yellow, then turned back into an Octopus.

"Four!!"

Four laughed. "Fine, fine, I'll shut up! I'll leave you and your _girlfriend_ alone, haha!"

She then super jumped away, cackling all the while.

Three let out a groan, plodding back over to the flustered Octopus. "Just...don't listen to anything she says. She just likes to tease me."

Still in Octopus form, Eight sprung herself into Three's arms, wrapping her tentacles around her. _"Bweh!"_

Three blinked, then sighed. "Eight, I can't understand you when you sound like that."

The Octopus cleared her throat and attempted to talk again. It still sounded like she was gargling water, but the sentence she spoke at least _sounded_ like Inklish now. _"Was...she right?"_

"Huh? About what?"

She looked up at Three with big, hopeful eyes. _"Am...I your...girlfriend?"_

Three's face heated up. "Uh, well...no, no you aren't."

_"Bweh..."_

"Would you...like to be...?"

The Inkling was promptly knocked to the ground by Eight suddenly turning back into an Octoling, her arms wrapped around Three's middle in place of her tentacles. "Yes!! I'd love tha- _oof!"_ She yelped as the pair of them collided with the ground.

"Ah, ow!" Exclaimed Three.

"Ah! I'm sorry, did I hurt you?!"

Three heaved herself up so she was sitting, rather than laying on her back. She rubbed her head, and looked down at Eight, who still had her arms wrapped around her. "I'm...I'm uh..."

Eight blinked, still looking quite concerned, but not giving any indication that she was going to relinquish the Inkling from her grip.

"You're _really_ cute, you know that?" Three blurted out, only to freeze when she realized she said it out loud.

Eight blushed and laughed. "Th-thank you, so are you!"

Three was still an undignified shade of yellow. "I'm, uh, uh, w-was that a _yes_ to the question again?"

Eight hugged her tighter. "Yes, it was definitely a yes! I love you a whole lot, and it'd be an honor to be your partner!"

The Inkling was having a hard time breathing now, and it wasn't because of the Octoling practically strangling her.

She probably wouldn't get used to that word anytime soon.


	8. Bonus: The King's Question

DJ Octavio liked to think he was putting up with a lot. It was hard enough when he got beaten the first time, after all the work he put in to bring power to his people. Getting put in a diminutive snow-globe of all things was humiliating enough, and to be stuck there for as long as he was took a great amount of willpower. Craig let him complain to him, luckily enough. One of the other man's few redeeming qualities, in Octavio's opinion.

Then when he managed to bust out, he returned to find countless of his Octolings gone! Vanished, like they'd up and left, or worse, been kidnapped! And many were Octolings he knew personally by name! Marina Ida, Ahato Mizuta, Yukino Sato! Jenkix, Oleander, Taji! All of them _gone_ off the face of the earth!

And he made an attempt to ask around, to try and solve the mystery, but he only got the ridiculous reports that Octolings were _defecting_. Bah! He couldn't imagine what gave everyone that idea. Considering the loyalty he inspired in all that remained, he couldn't fathom why any would desert. He never managed to get to the bottom of it.

And then he got beaten up _again_. The Squid Sisters rubbed it in with that stupid song _again_ , and he got stuck in that stupid, stupid, _stupid_ snow-globe _again_.

He was beginning to have his patience run thin. And this time Craig wouldn't even let him complain to him, not after what he'd done to his _precious granddaughter_. Ugh. It was all so stupid and unfortunate.

And then those stupid agents, Three and Four, started talking about some _Octoling_ Three was friends with. And DJ Octavio, no matter how many times he tried to get context, was ignored. All he was able to glean was that they were calling her 'Eight' and it _infuriated_ him. Why would Three, the veritable _patron saint_ of violence against Octarians, be friends with an Octoling? What did she have to gain?! Were they making it up to spite him?! Why would there even _be_ an Octoling up here for her to be friends with in the first place?! And what in the world was this _'she's got amnesia'_ nonsense?!

It only confused him _more_ when Three admitted to Four that she had a crush on this 'Eight.' What!! In the world!! Octavio was convinced the whole situation was fabricated to irritate him. He couldn't think of any possible alternative.

And then the fabled Octoling arrived, and Octavio was stunned silent. He recognized her. He knew her well. And the pieces fell into place.

He kept his mouth shut as she went about telling Three that she was in love with her. He didn't say a word when Three quietly and awkwardly reciprocated. He observed silently as 'Eight' flopped flusteredly on the ground in response to a short kiss. He was quiet. He observed. He had only a single question all of a sudden, and it could most _certainly_ wait.

If _she_ could keep up a charade this long, then _he_ could afford to wait just a bit longer for sweet release. All he had to do was wait for her to decide when it was safe. He'd hate to blow her cover when she wasn't ready.

But when she did? Oh, those Inklings would have _shell_ to pay.


End file.
